1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transmit device and method, a record/play device and method, record system as well as a media and relates in particular to a transmit device and method, record/play device and method as well as a record system for transmitting the data quantity for a program from the digital broadcast, detecting the available capacity of the record media on the receive side, comparing both transmit data quantity and receive side available capacity and selecting the optimal record media for recording the data of that program.
2. Background of the Invention
Digital satellite broadcasting has recently become capable of providing programs on more than 100 channels. When the available channels become this numerous, selecting a desired channel becomes an inconvenient task for the viewer. Whereupon EPG (Electronic Program Guide) data is transmitted separately from the actual program information and the viewer can then select the desired channel based on the EPG.
In order for the viewer to be able to select the desired program from among the many available programs, the EPG data contains a table comprised of basic data such as broadcast station (channel) information, daily program broadcast information, program start time information and program length, etc. In addition to this information, information for the respective program attribute information descriptors such as the program title information, detailed program information (plot) is also sent. This transmitted information is acquired by the receiver and the EPG data corresponding to the data for a particular channel can be displayed on a monitor.
In contrast to analog broadcasts where the overall amount of data of the broadcast program is determined in proportion to the program broadcast time length in a fixed method, in digital broadcasts, the overall amount of program data is further determined by the proportion of transmission bit rate to the program broadcast time length.
Accordingly, in digital broadcasts it is difficult to know beforehand how much available record media will be required in order to receive the program. Consequently, selecting the optimal record media to record the program data is difficult.
In view of the above situation, this invention is intended to allow the program data quantity for the digital broadcast to be sent and the optimal record media to be selected by the receiver based on this program data quantity.